Deze blog is de winnaar van de SWOCC x BrandCom blogwedstrijd 2024 (2e editie) in samenwerking met het master keuzevak Brand Communication aan de Universiteit van Amsterdam.
In today’s world where social media can make or break a career, brands are taking notes – and cracking jokes. With major platforms becoming battlefields for corporate humor, more brands are flexing their witty muscles to stand out. Whether it’s Wendy’s poking fun at competitors, Netflix sharing memes to promote shows, or Jumbo’s savage webcare, brands are no longer just selling products – they are entertaining. But while some consumers enjoy this brand repartee, others cringe at corporate sass. What’s the secret to pulling off a successful joke? Turns out it’s all about knowing your audience.
As social media have become key players in marketing and branding, brands are constantly trying out new strategies to capture consumers’ attention. Some say humor might do the trick, claiming that being funny is a quick way for a brand to improve conversion, recognition, and overall brand equity. Dark humor such as “roasting” (i.e., the act of trash-talking for laughs) has become an audience favorite in particular, with consumers even creating Reddit threads to collect their dearest brand-to-brand jabs. But as we’ll see, not everyone is a good laugh.
What is this blog about?
- The effectiveness of dark humor, specifically roasting, as a strategy in brand-to-brand communication on social media.
- The influence of consumer personality traits (extrovert vs. introvert) and age when reacting to dark humor.
- The importance of knowing your target audience when developing branding and marketing strategies.
The research
Torres and their colleagues recruited 286 participants from the U.S. and conducted an experiment to examine how consumers perceive dark humor in brand-to-brand communication. They created two fictional brand interaction scenarios on X (formerly Twitter): one featuring humorous (roasting) messages, the other using non-humorous (neutral) communication. Participants were randomly assigned to one of these conditions and then completed a questionnaire. This survey measured their personality traits (extroversion vs. introversion) and their perceptions of the brands involved, focusing on brand coolness and brand sincerity.
The results
The study found that younger (below 27 years old) extroverted consumers respond positively to roasting, perceiving the brands as cooler and more sincere. In contrast, introverts above the age of 43 years are less likely to appreciate the humor and have a worse perception of the brands in question afterward. Individuals between those ages are not as influenced by the roasting, as their evaluations of the brands are not impacted by the presence of humor (or lack thereof).
In short, brands need to tread carefully when using humor in their marketing strategies and be mindful of their audience’s demographics and personalities. Wendy’s social media jabs aimed at McDonald’s may have translated well for the brand, but things could have just as easily gone sideways had their clientele been older and more introverted.
What does this mean for brands?
For brand managers, the challenge lies in knowing if a brand has the right audience for roasting or if the consumers will be a tough crowd. If they choose wisely and their clientele is young and extroverted, dark humor can significantly enhance perceptions of brand coolness and sincerity, which can increase brand loyalty and sales. However, a more mature and introverted crowd will warrant a non-humorous communication approach. For consumers between 27 and 43 years old, a more generic strategy will suffice.
In a nutshell
In the current digital playground, humor is a double-edged sword for brands. Nail the right tone, and you’re the coolest kid in the social media school – miss the mark, and you’re left out in the cold. The key? Know your audience. Younger, extroverted consumers may love a good ol’ roast, but not everyone is in for a laugh.
Want to know more?
This blog post is based on the following research:
Saavedra Torres, J. L., Bhattarai, A., Dang, A., & Rawal, M. (2024). Do you want to be roasted? The boundaries of using dark humor as a brand-to-brand communication strategy. Journal of Research in Interactive Marketing, 18(2), 220–237. https://doi.org/10.1108/JRIM-12-2022-0370
About the author
Emma Chiaratti is an Entertainment Communication Master’s student at the University of Amsterdam. Her interests include writing, traveling, and pop culture.